The looming crisis among governorship aspirants in Benue
State has taken a serious dimension and it is waxing stronger. The
battle for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP’s) ticket in the
forthcoming party primaries is the basis of the uneasy calm as SOLOMON
AYADO captures the scenario.
If not because the agrarian Benue State is currently faced with the security challenge of frequent attacks by gunmen suspected to be herdsmen, it would have been wondrous and very easy to categorise the looming crisis among aspirants jostling for governorship of the state in 2015.
Despite the fact that the heinous killings by the suspected terrorists have continued unabated, the political interest is seemingly what the contestants are concerned about rather than evolving proactive measures that will end the crisis and bring succour to displaced persons.
When Governor Gabriel Suswam announced a New Year gift of compulsory resignation of governorship aspirants from the public service in January 2014, when he noticed that many of the contestants were spending from government coffers, there was confusion and many of the contenders holding various appointments became jittery.
It was almost a bad timing for many of them who felt the governor’s directive was rather more frustrating than enhancing their political pursuits. But many of the government appointees
including the permanent secretary of Government House Administration, Dr. Tivlumun Nyitse, former commissioner for Environment, Dr. Eugene Aliegba, permanent secretaries of Local Government Pensions and Special Duties, Mr. Andy Uwouku and Mr. Hinge Biem were provoked by the stringent directive of the governor and readily resigned their appointments immediately.
But the governor, who is also alleged to be nursing an irrevocable political ambition to run for the Benue North-East senatorial district has not publicly declared his intention. Nonetheless, he had at different public forums solicited the cooperation of his constituents, impliedly saying that he will not refuse if the people decide to send him for national assignment.
There are fears that the governor may favour a particular contestant of the race to further his senatorial ambition. This is one of the reasons the aspirants seem to be fighting in wits to win the support of the governor to emerge the ruling party’s flag bearer.
Critically, it would have even been a more considerate situation for the aspirants to at least suspend their governorship consultations temporally and think about how fast the frequent attacks on Benue communities would be resolved.
More than 35 aspirants are running for the race raging from the three senatorial districts of the state. Some of the contenders hail from the communities that are completely destroyed. Apart from the minister of state for Trade and Investment and overseeing minister of Aviation, Samuel Ortom who declared that he would suspend his governorship ambition, the rest is history.
The setting up of campaign headquarters in Makurdi and branch offices across the 23 local government areas of the state is the priority at the moment for the governorship hopefuls. The contenders are hiring edifices around the towns and turning palatable family residences into campaign arenas preparatory to the forthcoming flag off of political campaigns.
Like a gang up gone sore, it will be recalled that some of the governorship aspirants from the Masev, Iharev and Nongov extraction otherwise known as MINDA, had come together under one umbrella to enhance unity and progress of their various political pursuits.
The meeting was initiated by a former registrar of Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), Engr. Felix Atume. A total of more than 11 governorship aspirants from the entity had signed agreement to work together and produce a sole candidate. The MINDA governorship aspirants’ umbrella body was chaired by former vice chancellor of Benue State University, Makurdi and Veritas University Abuja, Prof. David Ker. It is not obvious if the meeting is still in existence.
At the moment, it is also not clear whether the contenders are still forging with the earlier initiative since they have seemingly parted ways and everyone is busy struggling for sole victory. And for the unity which necessitated the cleavage of these aspirants, having conceived their various differences, it is not sure if at all they can continue with the course.
Reacting to the development, Atume said, “the issue of governorship is not a do-or-die affair and that is why I initiated a meeting to bring all the aspirants from MINDA together, believing that whoever is blessed to win the governorship election we shall equally render our support. But everybody has the right to move on with consultations and employ any strategy and that is the situation.”
However, this is not to say that governorship aspirants from other zones including North-East and South-South zones do not have their internal wrangling. It is more worrisome in the Idoma entity because most of the aspirants have alleged political domination by the senate president, David Mark and his cohorts which they have vowed to dislodge.
They have equally alleged marginalisation from the Tivs, a situation that has appeared to be tearing the contenders apart because of who will taste the juicy seat in 2015 for the first time. For the Idomas to end in Government House in the next political dispensation appears to be a mission impossible but they have high hopes with divine intervention.
While the battle for who succeeds Governor Suswam is intensified, some other issues including alleged attacks of aspirants have taken the centre stage.
There was tragedy in Naka town of Gwer West local government area of the state when a governorship aspirant and member of the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission, Elder Simon Aondona had, on 19th March, 2014 gone to the place to inform the people of his intention to run for the governorship race.
Aondona hails from the local government where he was equally attacked on that fateful day. Recall that Naka town has been under frequent attacks and most villages in the place are deserted including the communities located on the Makurdi-Naka-Ankpa road. The highway which is a federal road has been rendered impassable since it has become a link route for the gunmen.
It was gathered that the politician had spoke to the people who converged at a public square situated in Naka. The Ter Tyoshin, HRH, Chief Daniel Abomtse and other reverend elders were in attendance to hear from him. But problem erupted when the politician, after addressing the people, wanted to return to Makurdi through the Naka-Aliade road which is three times longer thatn that of Naka-Makurdi route.
The exercise was almost a success before the angry youths barricaded the road which the astute politician and governorship contender had intended to ply. They insisted that he must go the killer-road.
They were annoyed because they had expected the elder statesman to have come to Naka town to discuss the crisis rather than his political ambition especially this moment that the people are deeply devastated by the attacks.
The irate youths, after blocking road, deflated the tyres of all the vehicles on the convoy and started shooting sporadically. They also beat to stupor, all manner of persons who wore the T-shirts with pictures and campaign inscription of Mr. Aondona on them. The governorship aspirant escaped death by a whisker but many were seriously injured in the process. Aondona claimed that it was Dr. Aliegba, his younger brother and co-contestant that detailed the thugs against him.
Both Aondona and Aliegba are from Gwer West LGA. But Aliegba debunked the allegation, saying he has respect for elders and that he is a peace living person.
Just like the Naka attack, a more gruesome one happened on the 24th March, 2014 in Gboko town of Gboko local government area of the state. The aged father of Prince Andy Uwouku, a governorship aspirant, Chief Uwouku Abanka was attacked and his Mercedes Benz jeep completely set ablaze by some unidentified youths.
The youths alleged that the traditional ruler from Guma LGA who has been displaced by the recent attacks was in the vehicle with a man who had been declared wanted. They beat the old man alongside the wanted man to stupor.
It was later alleged that the perpetrators of the dastardly act were sent by a governorship aspirant (name withheld) who is in contest with the son of the octogenarian.
But Andy Uwouku told newsmen that “the attack will not in any way deter my governorship ambition or soil my good image.” He however, promised to “arrest the culprits and sue them to court.”
Similarly, it was accusations upon counter accusations in the south-south senatorial district of the state when the convoy of the senate president was attacked in in Imo State. It was learnt that Mark, who owns a helicopter and is not known for plying the bad roads was not in the convoy and only his advanced team was attacked. Apart from accusations, it was widely rumoured that the attack was masterminded by some politicians in Otukpo, hometown of David Mark.
Aside alleged attacks, the issue of who bears the PDP flag in the coming primaries is now becoming the bone of contention. According to sources close to the state working committee of the party, the aspirants are seriously wooing the state party chairman, Dr. Agbo Emmanuel to indicate his support for a sole candidate. Other aspirants have alleged that Agbo is backing Engr. Felix Atume who is his engineer colleague.
But Agbo has obviously refused to bulge on the issue of a consensus candidate. He had told Atume who visited the secretariat to inform the party working committee of his intention to run for the race, that the ruling PDP is a party with fairness and justice, insisting that an enabling environment is already provided for all contenders.
“This election is the most polarised and I am saying this with every consciousness and my statement should not be misinterpreted in any way. But as sons and daughters of the state, we are free to contest but we can only come together and make modalities available for a peaceful election conduct.
“For now, we should be working consciously to harmonise and marry as one people. I beg of aspirants to formulate their campaign devoid of blackmail and all manner of violence.” Agbo stated.
Currently, political pundits are of the views that this time is certainly not appropriate for the governorship contenders to engage political battles for supremacy but to erect a viable political alliance, with the aim to enhance unity and attract urgent assistance from the federal government to confront the insurmountable security challenges the agrarian state is contending with.
With the posture of some of the aspirants and now that 2015 ticks fast, analysts have maintained strongly that the fighting and alleged politically-orchestrated attacks will not end the herdsmen attacks, neither will it move the poverty stricken state to a development driven stage.
If not because the agrarian Benue State is currently faced with the security challenge of frequent attacks by gunmen suspected to be herdsmen, it would have been wondrous and very easy to categorise the looming crisis among aspirants jostling for governorship of the state in 2015.
Despite the fact that the heinous killings by the suspected terrorists have continued unabated, the political interest is seemingly what the contestants are concerned about rather than evolving proactive measures that will end the crisis and bring succour to displaced persons.
When Governor Gabriel Suswam announced a New Year gift of compulsory resignation of governorship aspirants from the public service in January 2014, when he noticed that many of the contestants were spending from government coffers, there was confusion and many of the contenders holding various appointments became jittery.
It was almost a bad timing for many of them who felt the governor’s directive was rather more frustrating than enhancing their political pursuits. But many of the government appointees
including the permanent secretary of Government House Administration, Dr. Tivlumun Nyitse, former commissioner for Environment, Dr. Eugene Aliegba, permanent secretaries of Local Government Pensions and Special Duties, Mr. Andy Uwouku and Mr. Hinge Biem were provoked by the stringent directive of the governor and readily resigned their appointments immediately.
But the governor, who is also alleged to be nursing an irrevocable political ambition to run for the Benue North-East senatorial district has not publicly declared his intention. Nonetheless, he had at different public forums solicited the cooperation of his constituents, impliedly saying that he will not refuse if the people decide to send him for national assignment.
There are fears that the governor may favour a particular contestant of the race to further his senatorial ambition. This is one of the reasons the aspirants seem to be fighting in wits to win the support of the governor to emerge the ruling party’s flag bearer.
Critically, it would have even been a more considerate situation for the aspirants to at least suspend their governorship consultations temporally and think about how fast the frequent attacks on Benue communities would be resolved.
More than 35 aspirants are running for the race raging from the three senatorial districts of the state. Some of the contenders hail from the communities that are completely destroyed. Apart from the minister of state for Trade and Investment and overseeing minister of Aviation, Samuel Ortom who declared that he would suspend his governorship ambition, the rest is history.
The setting up of campaign headquarters in Makurdi and branch offices across the 23 local government areas of the state is the priority at the moment for the governorship hopefuls. The contenders are hiring edifices around the towns and turning palatable family residences into campaign arenas preparatory to the forthcoming flag off of political campaigns.
Like a gang up gone sore, it will be recalled that some of the governorship aspirants from the Masev, Iharev and Nongov extraction otherwise known as MINDA, had come together under one umbrella to enhance unity and progress of their various political pursuits.
The meeting was initiated by a former registrar of Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), Engr. Felix Atume. A total of more than 11 governorship aspirants from the entity had signed agreement to work together and produce a sole candidate. The MINDA governorship aspirants’ umbrella body was chaired by former vice chancellor of Benue State University, Makurdi and Veritas University Abuja, Prof. David Ker. It is not obvious if the meeting is still in existence.
At the moment, it is also not clear whether the contenders are still forging with the earlier initiative since they have seemingly parted ways and everyone is busy struggling for sole victory. And for the unity which necessitated the cleavage of these aspirants, having conceived their various differences, it is not sure if at all they can continue with the course.
Reacting to the development, Atume said, “the issue of governorship is not a do-or-die affair and that is why I initiated a meeting to bring all the aspirants from MINDA together, believing that whoever is blessed to win the governorship election we shall equally render our support. But everybody has the right to move on with consultations and employ any strategy and that is the situation.”
However, this is not to say that governorship aspirants from other zones including North-East and South-South zones do not have their internal wrangling. It is more worrisome in the Idoma entity because most of the aspirants have alleged political domination by the senate president, David Mark and his cohorts which they have vowed to dislodge.
They have equally alleged marginalisation from the Tivs, a situation that has appeared to be tearing the contenders apart because of who will taste the juicy seat in 2015 for the first time. For the Idomas to end in Government House in the next political dispensation appears to be a mission impossible but they have high hopes with divine intervention.
While the battle for who succeeds Governor Suswam is intensified, some other issues including alleged attacks of aspirants have taken the centre stage.
There was tragedy in Naka town of Gwer West local government area of the state when a governorship aspirant and member of the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission, Elder Simon Aondona had, on 19th March, 2014 gone to the place to inform the people of his intention to run for the governorship race.
Aondona hails from the local government where he was equally attacked on that fateful day. Recall that Naka town has been under frequent attacks and most villages in the place are deserted including the communities located on the Makurdi-Naka-Ankpa road. The highway which is a federal road has been rendered impassable since it has become a link route for the gunmen.
It was gathered that the politician had spoke to the people who converged at a public square situated in Naka. The Ter Tyoshin, HRH, Chief Daniel Abomtse and other reverend elders were in attendance to hear from him. But problem erupted when the politician, after addressing the people, wanted to return to Makurdi through the Naka-Aliade road which is three times longer thatn that of Naka-Makurdi route.
The exercise was almost a success before the angry youths barricaded the road which the astute politician and governorship contender had intended to ply. They insisted that he must go the killer-road.
They were annoyed because they had expected the elder statesman to have come to Naka town to discuss the crisis rather than his political ambition especially this moment that the people are deeply devastated by the attacks.
The irate youths, after blocking road, deflated the tyres of all the vehicles on the convoy and started shooting sporadically. They also beat to stupor, all manner of persons who wore the T-shirts with pictures and campaign inscription of Mr. Aondona on them. The governorship aspirant escaped death by a whisker but many were seriously injured in the process. Aondona claimed that it was Dr. Aliegba, his younger brother and co-contestant that detailed the thugs against him.
Both Aondona and Aliegba are from Gwer West LGA. But Aliegba debunked the allegation, saying he has respect for elders and that he is a peace living person.
Just like the Naka attack, a more gruesome one happened on the 24th March, 2014 in Gboko town of Gboko local government area of the state. The aged father of Prince Andy Uwouku, a governorship aspirant, Chief Uwouku Abanka was attacked and his Mercedes Benz jeep completely set ablaze by some unidentified youths.
The youths alleged that the traditional ruler from Guma LGA who has been displaced by the recent attacks was in the vehicle with a man who had been declared wanted. They beat the old man alongside the wanted man to stupor.
It was later alleged that the perpetrators of the dastardly act were sent by a governorship aspirant (name withheld) who is in contest with the son of the octogenarian.
But Andy Uwouku told newsmen that “the attack will not in any way deter my governorship ambition or soil my good image.” He however, promised to “arrest the culprits and sue them to court.”
Similarly, it was accusations upon counter accusations in the south-south senatorial district of the state when the convoy of the senate president was attacked in in Imo State. It was learnt that Mark, who owns a helicopter and is not known for plying the bad roads was not in the convoy and only his advanced team was attacked. Apart from accusations, it was widely rumoured that the attack was masterminded by some politicians in Otukpo, hometown of David Mark.
Aside alleged attacks, the issue of who bears the PDP flag in the coming primaries is now becoming the bone of contention. According to sources close to the state working committee of the party, the aspirants are seriously wooing the state party chairman, Dr. Agbo Emmanuel to indicate his support for a sole candidate. Other aspirants have alleged that Agbo is backing Engr. Felix Atume who is his engineer colleague.
But Agbo has obviously refused to bulge on the issue of a consensus candidate. He had told Atume who visited the secretariat to inform the party working committee of his intention to run for the race, that the ruling PDP is a party with fairness and justice, insisting that an enabling environment is already provided for all contenders.
“This election is the most polarised and I am saying this with every consciousness and my statement should not be misinterpreted in any way. But as sons and daughters of the state, we are free to contest but we can only come together and make modalities available for a peaceful election conduct.
“For now, we should be working consciously to harmonise and marry as one people. I beg of aspirants to formulate their campaign devoid of blackmail and all manner of violence.” Agbo stated.
Currently, political pundits are of the views that this time is certainly not appropriate for the governorship contenders to engage political battles for supremacy but to erect a viable political alliance, with the aim to enhance unity and attract urgent assistance from the federal government to confront the insurmountable security challenges the agrarian state is contending with.
With the posture of some of the aspirants and now that 2015 ticks fast, analysts have maintained strongly that the fighting and alleged politically-orchestrated attacks will not end the herdsmen attacks, neither will it move the poverty stricken state to a development driven stage.
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